Hybrid cars have increased in popularity as of late.Nows the time to support alternative energy solutions and technologies.

Hybrid Cars - Alternative Energy

HYBRID NATION

"Hybrid Nation"

Sunday, April 15, 2007

New Yorkers heading for alternative fuel vehicles

By ALLAN DRURYTHE JOURNAL NEWS

Joel Turner knew that despite Toyota's reputation for making reliable, long-lasting cars, his 1993 Camry would eventually be ready for retirement.

His dilemma was whether he would buy another Camry or go a bit more upscale and spring for a Lexus.

For Turner, a retired IBM computer programmer and analyst who lives in Greenburgh, the decision turned on the gas mileage he would get with a Camry Hybrid, one of the Japanese manufacturer's entries in the growing category of environmentally friendly, alternative-fuel automobiles.

When he paid his $29,700 and drove his new car off the lot at Geis Toyota in Peekskill last month, Turner, 57, became a part of New Yorkers' movement toward alternative fuel vehicles, a movement that is gaining momentum, thanks to sky-high gas prices, state and federal tax credits and environmental awareness.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers said last week 339,936 alternative fuel autos were registered in New York last year, an increase of 24 percent over the 274,000 registered a year earlier. On the national level, there were 1.5 million alternative fuel vehicles sold last year, surpassing the projections of automakers by 50 percent, or about 500,000 vehicles, said the alliance.

The sales brought the number of such vehicles on American roads to 10.5 million, the alliance said.